KRAFFT horsefeeds with SPC addition:

Performance power by a natural process

As a major European supplier of horsefeeds, KRAFFT annually directs consisiderable resources into research and product development. Our new feeds for performance horses – KRAFFT SPORT SPC and KRAFFT GROOV SPC – clearly illustrate the dynamism of this process.

Intense listening
The development process implies intense interaction between horsemen on one side, and the KRAFFT network of scientists, vets and nutrition experts on the other. Mrs Malin Hidgård is the product manager of KRAFFT:

- The development of the SPC products was triggered by signals from horsemen. For many years, trainers of trotters and riders/trainers within all equine disciplines have realized the crucial importance of maintaining a sound balance of body liquids when their horses perform strenuous work. Quite a number of them have asked us if there was an option to compensate the loss of liquid due to watery faeces induced by stress during transport and competition via the feed ration.

Frequent disturbance
During a race or others forms of competition a horse is likely to lose considerable volumes of body liquid. Shipping to the racecourse or show arena implies stress, and consequently watery faeces. In addition to this, the horse often loses water by profuse sweating and due to increased frequency of respiration. Additional losses may also occur during the warm-up before competition. Many horses refuse water when in an unfamiliar environment.

A natural process
Within KRAFFT, the positive effect of specially processed cereals on the balance of body liquids in pigs and calves has long been well known. Malin Hidgård concludes:

- There was solid evidence to prove these effects, so we decided to develop a high-energy feed with specially processed oats – abbreviated SPC. The result was SPORT SPC, which was launched during the autumn of 2007. It was followed by GROOV SPC. Before launching, both products had been fed to a test population of some 100 horses. This field test concluded that the balance of body liquids and the time for recovery after strenuous work seemed to be affected in a positive way. In many cases, horses with previous histories of gastro-intestinal dysfunctions seemed to improve their condition rapidly.

The process described by Mrs Hidgård is natural in the sense that no additives are used. The processed oats in these feeds is treated with heath and water during a strictly controlled process. The starch of the oats will then transform into amino acids, carbon hydrates and enzymes. These substances will in their turn stimulate the horse’s own production of a protein usually referred to as AF (anti-secretorial factor) – an agent with a number of wholesome qualities. A research team within the University Hospital of Sahlgrenska (Gothenburg, Sweden) has established its positive effects on human patients suffering from various gastro-intestinal diseases.


The “Break & Throttle” concept
KRAFFT SPORT SPC and KRAFFT GROOV SPC differ from their respective counterpart without SPC only by the SPC addition. Combined, they are frequently given according to the well-established feeding concept often labelled “Break & Throttle”, where the GROOV part provides stabilizing fibres and quality protein while the SPORT part adds energy in a lenient form (i.e. with relatively low levels of residuals). This concept was used by members of the Swedish Equestrian team during the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong and is also the success formula behind a number of the best trotters in the European elite circuit – among them multiple Group 1 winners.

Malin Hidgård admits that KRAFFT has long been privileged in terms of research and development resources:

- We have a powerful market presence and our people on the field keep a keen eye on emerging needs as expressed by breeders and trainers. In addition to this, we have the vast resources of The Swedish Farmers Association behind us. When new needs are defined, we can often present new products with short notice. Our SPC products bring testimony to this, even if we did not foresee the enormous response from the horsemen.